Toffler's three forms of power

Futurist Alvin Toffler describes three forms of power and shows how these
have changed over time.

Violence

The most basic form of power is violence, or physical forms of power. 'Might
is right' is their watchword and it is close to the law of the jungle in
operation.

The basic promise is 'do as you are told and you won't get hurt'.

Those who gain the power of violence do so by controlling the mechanisms of
physical domination, from armies and police forces to the ownership of specific
weapons.

Wealth

Money is a more flexible form of power than violence as it can be exchanged
for pretty much anything you want, from goods to services of all kinds.

Money can be viewed as 'stored time/action': you work and are given money,
then give the money to others to save time/action. The trick in acquiring wealth
is to invest the money in ways that it provides a maximum return on investment.

Those who gain wealth do so largely through a superior ability (or sometimes
luck) in investment, taking controlled risks and gaining disproportionate
returns.

Knowledge

Knowledge is the ultimate form of power and can be used to acquire both
wealth and violence, if applied in the right way. 'Knowledge is power' is a
common saying that highlights this.

The evolution of power

Toffler indicates how violence was the basic power of the nobility in ancient
times, where a powerful elite worked largely through domination that threatened
violence to those who did not comply.

In the industrial revolution, violence gave way to wealth, as the merchant
classes became more powerful and gained control of critical resources and
channels.

Today, in the Third Wave, the power of knowledge is replacing commercial
wealth as the primary source of power. If you have the right knowledge, you can
get a lot done without recourse to money. Power is thus moving to the educated
elite (and masses). The internet is a great leveller of power in this regard.

So what?

Seek knowledge in order to manage power today. Money is still useful, but
knowledge is available (like on this site!).